What a Certified Arborist Evaluates During a Consultation

Most homeowners can tell when something looks off with their trees—thinning leaves, dead limbs, strange growths, leaning, cracks, or branches that just don’t look quite right. But knowing why these issues are appearing or what it means can sometimes require a trained eye. That’s exactly what a professional tree health assessment provides.

As an ISA certified arborist and owner of Lubbers & Sons Tree Care, I approach every assessment with the same goal: give homeowners clear, science and experience based information about what’s happening with their trees and what options they have moving forward. Our intention is never to scare you into buying a particular service, only to give you all the information you need to make an informed decision. We make recommendations based on our assessment as well as your goals, preferences, and personal risk tolerance. Whether you’re dealing with decline, pests, storm damage, or simply want peace of mind, an arborist consultation is the best starting point.

Here’s what we evaluate during an arborist consultation or professional tree health assessment in the Chapel Hill area.

1. The Root System and Soil Conditions

Tree health starts underground. All soil types have their strengths and challenges, but in general native trees are pretty well adapted to their local growing environment. So clay soils aren’t to blame for every problem, but in the Piedmont we do have to take into consideration our often clay-heavy soils and how they may interact with common urban & suburban conditions to impact root zones.

During an assessment, I evaluate:

• Soil compaction
• Root flare depth (is the root collar exposed?)
• Dysfunctional or girdling roots (to the extent that they are visible)
• Water infiltration (too little or too much)
• Presence of root rot fungi
• Root plate stability or signs of uprooting

Many issues visible in the canopy—dieback, thinning leaves, stress—begin below ground. If the root system is struggling, the whole tree struggles.

2. The Trunk and Structural Integrity

The trunk tells a story about the tree’s history.

I look for:

• Cracks or splits

• Decay pockets

• Mushrooms or conks

• Loose, peeling, or dead bark

• Insects or signs of insects

• Wounds or mechanical damage (from machinery, lawn-mowers, etc)

Some defects are stable and manageable; others are red flags for potential failure.

3. Branch Structure and Canopy Health

A tree’s canopy tells a lot about its energy reserves and stress levels.

I evaluate:

• Dead or dying limbs
• Crossing or rubbing branches
• Co-dominant stems
• Poor branch unions
• Overextended limbs

• Epicormic growth (a stress response, sometimes called “water sprouts”)
• Canopy density

Pruning recommendations depend heavily on what the canopy reveals. Sometimes canopy issues are our best clues about root stress as well, if root issues are not easily visible or able to be inferred from a visual inspection of the root zone (above ground).

4. Pest and Disease Issues

Chapel Hill trees are vulnerable to some common pests and pathogens, especially if other tree stress is present (stressed trees are typically more susceptible to pests & disease).

I inspect for actual insects or signs of pests such as:

• Scale insects
• Wood boring insects (such as Emerald ash borer)
• Leaf spots and blights
• Bacterial leaf scorch
• Hypoxylon canker
• Phytopthora canker
• Armillaria (root rot)
• Bagworms
• Aphids and mites

…And more! Some issues are treatable; others indicate advanced decline. Knowledge of the specific pest, tree species, and understanding of the role the site conditions play will all help inform my recommendations.

5. Environmental Stress Factors

Trees respond to their environment, like people or animals do. Sometimes there are environmental factors to consider like:

• Drought stress
• Excessive shade
• Heat stress
• Construction or landscaping impacts
• Lightning strikes
• Mechanical damage (weed trimmers, mowers, vehicles)

Environmental stress can sometimes show up years after the initial injury.

6. Safety Hazards

A major part of any consultation is identifying hazards. Risk is not only determined by the likelihood of a tree failure, but also the location and potential impact to targets nearby (and the value of those targets). Finally, your individual risk tolerance will play a role as well. Some people don’t want any trees near their house no matter how sound and healthy I assess them to be, while other people are okay with a somewhat-risky leaning tree with signs of stress over their house.

I look at:

• Targets (nearby homes, sheds, parked cars, play areas)

• Limb position and weight distribution

• Root plate stability

• Structural weak points

• Canopy imbalance, weighty extended limbs, etc.

Safety determines urgency. A high likelihood hazard + a high value target = a priority.

7. Long-Term Management Recommendations

Once the assessment is complete, I give homeowners actionable guidance, and open discussion about any questions that come up. My recommendations may include:

• Pruning for structure or clearance
• Soil decompaction
• Mulching
• Pest treatments
• Supportive treatments (root feeding, plant growth regulators, etc)
• Cavity inspections
• Cabling and bracing
• Root collar excavation
• Monitoring over time
• Removal if necessary

My goal is always to preserve the tree when possible, and to give you the most cost-efficient options. Of course, it is ultimately your property, your peace of mind, and your decision.

Why Homeowners Benefit from a Tree Health Assessment

An arborist consultation provides:

• A clear understanding of tree condition
• Early detection of problems
• Recommendations tailored to species and site conditions
• A chance to prevent expensive emergencies
• Peace of mind about risks
• An opportunity to get one-on-one time with a tree health specialist to ask any questions you may have about your trees.

Many issues caught early are far easier—and cheaper—to fix.

Final Thoughts

If you’re unsure about the condition of a tree on your property, booking an arborist consultation is the best next step. As a certified arborist, my job is to help you understand what’s happening, why it’s happening, and what the best course of action looks like.

Healthy, safe, long-lived trees start with proper assessments—and we are always happy to help.